


A Little More Credit

by tayryn



Category: James Bond (Craig movies)
Genre: Angst, Angst with a Happy Ending, F/M, Older Woman/Younger Man, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-21
Updated: 2020-11-21
Packaged: 2021-03-09 18:33:28
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,654
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27660725
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/tayryn/pseuds/tayryn
Summary: James starred at the woman he had believed was dead. The woman who had died in his arms two years ago. The woman he had, and was still…He turned sharply on his heel and walked out of the room.
Relationships: James Bond/Female M, James Bond/M, James Bond/M | Olivia Mansfield
Comments: 10
Kudos: 26





	A Little More Credit

**Author's Note:**

  * Inspired by [Post-Credit](https://archiveofourown.org/works/26852812) by [JustAnotherUnderstudy](https://archiveofourown.org/users/JustAnotherUnderstudy/pseuds/JustAnotherUnderstudy). 



> Sequel to Post-Credit by JustAnotherUnderstudy
> 
> My muse could just NOT leave that fade to black where it was. So, with permission, my muse ran with the idea that jumped into her head. Whether I have done JustAnotherUnderstudy's fic justice... that it for you to decide.
> 
> **the start of the fic in italics is taken directly from Post-Credit

A Little More Credit

~*007*~

_Tanner led him into the large living area. The living room was on the left, but Tanner turned to the right, into the dining room. He picked up his step as he approached someone. James could barely catch a glimpse of the woman before he embraced her._

_James stared at Tanner's back, surprised at the display. He had been underestimating how much the man cared for her. Maybe M had made a mistake sending James here. He was just about to suggest a private conversation with Tanner when the woman pulled away and Tanner moved to her side._

_James could not have stopped a reaction if he'd been ready for it. He felt his mouth fall open slightly and his eyes widen. He tried to form a word, like “what?” or “how?” but his voice failed him as his lips barely moved. He felt himself take a shuddering breath._

_“Hello, James,” Olivia Mansfield calmly said. **_

James stared at the woman he had believed was dead. The woman who had died in his arms two years ago. The woman he had, and was still…

He turned sharply on his heel and walked out of the room.

“You didn’t give him any warning, did you?”

“No.”

Olivia continued to stare at the now empty doorway. “Are you planning to go after him?”

“Not really. No.”

She glanced up at Tanner, then with a frown on her face and a shake of her head, she began to walk toward the door. “Consider this, Tanner,” Olivia called back without looking back at him. “Having James here was my idea.”

Bill’s mouth fell open as he watched her stride past the dining room table, snatching the cane hanging on the back of one of the chairs – the cane more for show than actual use, he knew. “Ma’am?”

She waved her hand dismissively. “Go make yourself something to eat,” she told him, then walked out of the room.

Bill’s shoulders slumped.

Her idea.

No. He had not considered that. He had just assumed.

He reached up to pinch the bridge of his nose.

“Shit.”

Sighing, he turned and made his way toward the kitchen. He reached into his pocket, pulling his mobile from his pocket. He unlocked it, punched in a familiar number, then lifted the phone to his ear.

“It’s me. I think I owe you an apology…”

**~*007*~**

Olivia opened her front door and stepped out onto the porch. 

She spotted James standing at the far edge of her lawn, leaning against one of the trees, staring up into the leaves. Not caring about the door, she descended the steps and made her way toward him. She knew he had heard her when he lowered his head.

“Enjoying death?”

“Would you believe me if I said no?”

She watched his head turn slightly, and knew he was looking at the villa. “No.”

“Looks can be deceiving.”

“I’m sure. I’m sure it’s been hell for you.”

“We each have our own definition of hell, 007.”

“No. You don’t get to use that anymore. Even if it was still my number. It’s not yours to use.”

The anger in his voice surprised her. She had expected him to be upset, but this… she could feel the anger coming off him in waves.

“Why are you so angry?”

“Why am I… you are actually asking me why I’m…?”

“Yes.”

“I thought you were smarter than that, M.”

“I am not M any longer.”

“Don’t I know it.”

Olivia shook her head, even though he could not see her. “Bond, I --”

“I can’t believe you don’t know.”

“Know what?”

“It doesn’t matter any longer.”

“It obviously does. And it is obviously tied up in why you are so angry. I thought you would be pleased to learn the truth. I expected you to be shocked, but I thought you would at least be pleased.”

There was a long pause, and Olivia could see the tension in his body growing tighter.

“Two years,” he said in a low voice. “Two years I have believed you were dead.”

“I know. I’m sor --”

James whirled around and raised his arm, pointing an accusing finger at her. “No! Don’t you dare apologize! You are not sorry. If you were, you would not have left me to believe you were dead all this time.”

“James.”

“You died in my arms. I felt the life leave your body. I watched the light go out of your eyes.”

“I know,” she said softly.

“Do you have even the slightest inkling of what that did to me? Do you? Knowing that after everything I sacrificed, after fighting with almost nothing, I failed, and you died.”

“You did not fail.”

“I know that now. But you and everyone else sure had no problem letting me believe it,” he spat. “Then you had the nerve to send me that DVD. Why? Why did you do that? Do you know the hell I have been through in the last two years because of the fallout from that?”

“Yes,” she replied sadly. “And I am sorry about Ms. Swann.”

James frowned. “The bitch got what was coming to her.”

“James.”

“She lied to me.” James shook his head, then raised his arms in a questioning gesture. “What is it with women lying to me? Vesper, Madeleine, you.”

“I have never lied to you.”

“Bullshit. You have done nothing but lie to me for as long as I have known you.”

“I may have kept some things from you, but I have never lied to you, James.”

“What do you call this?” He gestured to the house, then between the two of them. “What do you call this right here? This is the biggest lie of all.”

“This was not me lying to you.”

“No? Then what is it?”

“This is me being forced to live a life I did not ask for. I was not given a choice, James.”

“And you just went along with it? That’s not like you.”

“I was not in any shape to argue,” she told him. She saw his eyes flick down to her hip, saw the flash of pain in his eyes before he met her eyes again.

“So, you just gave up? That is not like you either. But then again,” He looked over her shoulder at the house. “I can see why you did.”

It was a jab, and Olivia knew it. He was lashing out. And instead of calming, he seemed to be getting more upset, with his anger focussing on her.

“Christ, James. I get it. You are pissed off and I am sorry. I am sorry you were kept in the dark. But it was not all my doing, so why are you so angry with me?”

“Why?”

“Yes. I know you are angry, and you have every right to be, but you seem to be especially angry with me. Why is that?”

James’ eyes flashed dangerously as he stared at her. “Because I am in love with you!” he told her. 

Olivia felt the breath leave her body. He… no. He could not be. “You…” She shook her head, then whispered, “You’re in love with me?”

“Yes.” James nodded. “I’m in love with you.”

“James.”

“Watching you die, feeling it, after everything…” He shook his head. “I died with you,” he said, meeting her gaze head on. “In that chapel. Holding you in my arms. I felt the life leave your body and I died with you.”

Olivia felt her eyes well with tears and blinked them away.

“So, yes, _M_ , I am pissed off to learn that it was all a big joke. That you have been alive and well, kicking back and enjoying the good life, while I tried to just make it through each day.”

Olivia shook her head. “James, no. It wasn’t like that at all.”

“No?”

“No. I asked them to tell you. I wanted you to at least know I was alive; that you had not failed. I knew you would be thinking and feeling that you had. But they would not tell you.”

“You could have called.”

“They monitor the phones.”

“Internet?”

She cocked her head and raised her eyebrows.

“Right.” He nodded, and she could see that his anger was beginning to fade a little. “You couldn’t write a letter?”

In that moment, Olivia knew that James was already on his way to forgiving her, and the thought made her smile inside and gave her hope.

“I wasn’t given your mailing address.”

Unable to help himself, James snorted.

“James,” Olivia said in a soft voice. “If I could have got word to you that I was still alive, I would have. I wanted to.”

James continued to look at her. He was still angry, but he could feel the anger fading with every passing moment. He believed her when she said she had not been given a choice. He could see the truth in her eyes. And, if he was honest with himself, after he had got over the initial shock of seeing her and learning she was alive, he was actually quite relieved… and even happy.

“But if you really do not want to be here,” she continued, “I will ring Mallory and tell him to hide you somewhere else.”

James shook his head. “That won’t be necessary.”

“Are you certain?”

“Yes.” He nodded, then cocked his head to the side. “Madrid, hmm?”

“It was not my first choice; however, it has grown on me. It is quite nice here. Once you get acclimated to the weather and the area, it is rather pleasant. It is why I suggested to Mallory he hide you here.”

“You? You suggested I come live here with you?” James asked, surprised.

“Yes.”

“Why?”

Olivia shook her head. Even though he had admitted to being in love with her, she could not bring herself to tell him of her own feelings. She had denied them for so long, that admitting them, even to herself, was difficult.

Watching her, James felt a sudden flicker of hope. 

Was it possible, he wondered? Could she actually… he began to walk toward her.

“Why?” he asked again.

“I could use the company.”

“Your son is not company enough?”

“No. I appreciate his visits, but they are just that. Visits. He flies in, stays a couple days, then flies back out. I am alone here for weeks and months at a time. And while I enjoy my own company --”

“You want a companion.”

“Yes.”

“And you chose me?”

“I did.”

James came to a stop just in front of her. “Why?”

“Because I missed you,” she admitted.

“Did you really?”

Olivia nodded.

“How much?”

Olivia held up her hand, with her thumb and forefinger spread less than an inch apart. “This much.”

James smirked and chuckled.

As he held her eyes, James felt the rest of his anger fade away. How could he continue to be upset with her when she was here in front of him, so gloriously alive. It was all he had wanted and dreamt about for the last two years.

“Is missing me the only reason?” 

Olivia shook her head. “No.”

“No?”

“No.”

“Why else?”

Olivia stared at him.

“Olivia?” he asked her, his voice low and soft, as he lifted a hand to cup her cheek.

Her eyes closed at his touch and the soft utterance of her name.

“Tell me, please.”

She opened her eyes. “I wanted you here because I love you.”

A smile slowly spread over his face. He stepped closer, his hand slipping into her hair as he tilted her head back, then lowered his to brush a kiss against her forehead. “I love you, too,” he whispered against her soft skin, then enfolded her into his embrace. 

“James,” she murmured, laying her cheek against his chest, wrapping her arms around him. 

“For the record, I have missed you, too,” he breathed into her hair. “And I am very glad you’re not dead.”

Olivia chuckled. “Does that mean you’re okay living with me?”

“Yeah. I am.” He pressed a kiss into her hair, whispering, “Will I be sharing your bed?”

Olivia lifted her head, tilting it back to look at him. “That is my hope, yes,” she replied, and placed her hands on his chest. “But before that, do you think you might kiss me properly?”

James grinned, and slid his hand out of her hair to cradle the side of her face. “I can do that,” he murmured, as he lowered his head.

Olivia’s eyes fluttered closed as James’ lips covered hers. They were soft yet firm, warm and gently demanding, and she responded in an instant, her hands sliding up over his shoulder to wind about his head. In response, James swept his tongue along her bottom lip, requesting entrance. Moaning softly, Olivia parted her lips, allowing him to slip his tongue into her mouth, kissing her deeply. The hand on the side of her face slipped back into her hair, the other trailed down her back to rest on the curve of her arse, pulling her closer.

“Oh, fuck…” they groaned at the same time, mouths parting to drag some much-needed air into their lungs, before crashing together again.

Olivia felt his cock stir against her belly and pressed her body more firmly against his. Her fingers gripped the short strands of his hair as she nipped his bottom lip; laving it with her tongue to sooth the small sting, before thrusting her tongue back into his mouth to tangle with his.

“Olivia,” James murmured against her lips.

“Mmm…?”

“That bed sharing?”

Olivia eased her lips from his and tilted her head back. She grinned, stepped out of his arms, grasped his hand, then began walking toward the house, dragging him with her. “Come with me.”

“That’s the plan.”

“Several times,” she remarked under her breath, nodding her head.

**~*007*~**

Stepping out onto the porch, Tanner leaned back against the front of the house just in time to see Bond whirl around angrily to face Olivia.

He watched them carefully, something in their body language telling him to be on alert. Not that he thought Bond would actually hurt M, but he had been unpredictable of late.

After several minutes, he saw Bond and M move into each other’s arms. His jaw dropped seconds later when they started passionately kissing.

“Oh my god,” he muttered, feeling decidedly uncomfortable.

Tanner had always suspected Bond had a thing for M, he had just never considered that M felt the same way about him.

He suddenly realized why he had been so upset with the idea of Bond living here with M. Bill had begun to think of M as his real mother, and he really enjoyed the time he spent here with her, and he did not want to share her.

But as he watched them continue to kiss, he also realized that he was happy for them. After everything they had been through, they deserved a little happiness. And if they had found it with each other, who was he to say anything. After all, he had found happiness with Gareth.

The corners of his mouth turned up when he saw them finally separate, and M turn and grab James’ hand, then begin walking toward the villa. His smile grew. He recognized the determined look on M’s face.

As they drew closer, he quickly realized the reason for M’s determined look.

Climbing the steps leading into the house, Olivia nodded to Tanner as she passed him, and entered the house.

“Bill.” James grinned at him.

Tanner turned and watched M lead James up the stairs to the second floor. “Mum, I going to head into town for a bit.”

“Have fun, dear.” M’s voice floated down to him.

“You, too.”

“Oh, we plan to, Bill.”

Tanner grinned.


End file.
